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Inmates paid for labor as part of reform plan
Inmates of an experimental section of the Shanghai Juntian Prison have started earning a small amount of money for producing leather bags in a prison workshop as part of a program aimed at helping convicts reform. The experiment, which started in one section of the prison last April, inspired the prisoners' sense of achievement and stimulated them to take a more active role in labor, according to prison officials. Juntianhu is one of the two Shanghai prisons located in Anhui Province, which is more than 320 kilometers from the city. "To guide criminals to consume properly, we prison officers will offer them instructions on how to spend the money," said Cai Weiguo, a prison official. He wouldn't say how much the prisoners are paid for each hour of work, but said an average inmate could earn about 50 yuan (US$6) a month for their work. No other Shanghai-run prison pays inmates for their work. Cai said many of the inmates send the money they earn back to their families, while others save it to spend themeselves after they are released. "Some prisoners can use the money to pay compensation to their victims," Cai added. They can also use the money to order special dishes at dinner time. "Besides the common dishes prisoners have in the dining hall, we worked out a menu with a variety of special foods, such as sliced cold chicken and roast duck," Cai said. Inmates can apply for their favorite foods in advance, and the prison only charges the cost of preparing the dish. Last August three inmates identified as Yu, Wang and Fan came up with a fifth way to spend their savings. They donated 100 yuan, 200 yuan and 500 yuan respectively to Project Hope in order to help poor children go to school. "I came up with the idea when reading a report in a newspaper that kids in some mountainous areas were so poor that their families could not afford to send them to school," said Yu, who has spent the past five years behind bars. Yu said he hopes to atone for his crimes by contributing the money he earns through hard labor. He wouldn't say why he was sent to prison. "The payment system is welcomed by us as it could help those with a family facing financial difficulties." Paying wages to inmates in just one of the new ideas tested in the prison's experimental section. Jiang Hong, director of the Experiment Section, said they made it a rule that officers should bring the prisoner into the reception room within 20 minutes of his family''s arrival at the prison. "Our principle is serving the society and prisoners' family members are part of the society," Jiang said. The section has also increased recreation programs for inmates to improve their spirits and help them adjust to life behind bars. "Something unique in our activity room is the newly bought table tennis table and some musical equipment," Jiang boasted to reporters. Shanghai Daily's reporter Yang Lifei followed a media tour to two prisons under the city's jurisdiction in Anhui Province to find out what the inmates' lives are like. Today's story is the second of a three-part series.
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